In this April 29, 2008 photo, University of North Carolina's Jack Wooten (right) pressures then-Democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, during a basketball game in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. - AP

President Richard Nixon had a bowling alley installed at the White House; Gerald Ford put in a swimming pool; and now, the residence of United States presidents could lay out a basketball court to cater to the sporting talents of President Barack Obama.

Obama, who appears slim, trim and fit, is an avid fan and player of Micheal Jordan's game.

In Jamaica, while the game has been grabbing the attention of many youngsters, it is yet to reach the level of spectator interest as football or even cricket.

Marland Nattie, president of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA), believes that president Obama's love of the game will have a huge spin-off on basketball.

"I think he will make people realise how big sport is, and its capabilities to bring people together, break barriers and create friendships," said Nattie, who is a former national player and has been president of the JBA for more than 10 years. "He is going to use sports as a tool to deliver his messages and as it relates to basketball, given his wealth of knowledge about the sport, is expected to influence key decision makers in sports.

"One such area is NCAA basketball, where he has a good knowledge of the workings. In the past, he suggested that instead of selecting a national US collegiate champion, as is the case now, there should be a play-off series so that the best team based on performance is crowned champions, and not the best team based on the opinion of journalists and coaches, who normally select the top two teams, who would then contest the national championship," Nattie explained.

Comfortable with his race

Obama's own writings suggest that it was basketball, more than any other outside influence, that got him comfortable with his racial background and unique upbringing.

Pick-up basketball taught Obama "that respect came from what you did and not who your daddy was" and "that you could talk stuff to rattle an opponent, but that you should shut the hell up if you couldn't back it up," the President wrote in Dreams of my Father.